Goldman Sachs Group is considering strengthening internal rules, including on disclosing bankers’ financial holdings to clients, after being criticized in a recent court opinion because of a deal maker’s potential conflict of interest in a large transaction.

Goldman’s review — and similar initiatives by some of its rivals — could provide companies with greater transparency on the financial interests of the bankers they hire to advise on takeovers.

In a statement to The Wall Street Journal, Goldman said it was reviewing its “policies and procedures [on banker conflict issues] with the goal of strengthening them.”

The concerns emerged after a Delaware judge said in a Feb. 29 opinion that the $21.1 billion proposed sale of El Paso Corp. to natural-gas pipeline operator Kinder Morgan, announced last year, was riddled with potential conflicts of interest.